Fence post



B. A. cAss Jan. 10, 1928.

FENCEPOS'I' Filed Jan.2l, 1927v I gwugntoz I M1 m m Patented Jen. 1Q, 1923.. v

BENJAMIN A. CASS, OF JACKSQNVILLE; ALABAlv/IA, ASSIGNQR F ONE-HALF TO DAVE I EONDER, OF JACKSONVILLE, ALABAMA.

HEN RY FENCE POST.

Application filed January 21, 1927. Serial No. 162,651.

This invention relates to fences and more particularly to a metal fence post. {it the present time fence posts are formed of metal and adapted. to have fence wires connected therewith but it has been found di'liicult; to securely.connect the fence wires with the post and at the same time allow them tp be easily removed when necessary. Therefore, one hhiect of the invention isto PlOVIClQ a post lniving recesses or seats to receive fence wires and means to securely retain the fence wires in the recesses and very, effectively ill prevent the wires from being accidentally disconnected from a post but allow them to be easily disengaged therefrom.

Another object of the invention 1s to pro vide the post with a cooperating cap reniovably secured thereto and when in place extending in overlying relation to wire-securing piiusso that the pins will be prevented from accidentally slipping out of openings through which fence wires pass Another object of theinventron is to permit the cap to be readily applied to or removed from a fence post and prevent it from having movement relative to the post'when secured. I

Another object of the invention 1s to pro vide in proved anchoring ineanswhereby the post may he firmly held in an upright pos1- tion when driven into the ground.

The invention is illustrated 1n the acconipanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a view showing the improved fence post in side. elevation; 7

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the post with the clip removed;

F is a transverse sectional view taken on the line il----3 of Fig. 1;

lligr. l is a. perspective view of a fastener :ntlapted to be driven into the. ground with its upper end engaging an anchor )llll'KKl by the post, and

.l igr. i a perspective view of an anchor m'i'iployed in coi'mection with a corner post.

The standard 1 of the fence post is formed of metal and has its lower portion 2 tapered so that it may be readily driven into the ground and its upper end portion reduced in thickness from its rear face to provide a head 3 having fiat forward and rear faces. The rear face of the standard is arcuate in cross section for the major portion of its lengtl'i. as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in order to eliminate sharp corners and lint side faces and prevent danger of injury to anialso eliminate. likelihood of a post he' moved transverselyoutof a perpendicular position if struck by a vehicle wheel. The forward portion of the standard is reduced from opposite sides to provide a rib "4t which extends longitudinally of the standard from the foot 5 to the lower end of the head 3. This rib is formed with transversely extending openingsfi which are spaced from each other longitudinally of the rib and prop vided with inlet necks 7 which open through the forward face of the rib. It should he noted that the inlet necks taper inwardly so that fence wires may be easily forced through them into the openings and are located interntiediate the upper and lower ends of the openings so that the wires cannot readily slip out of them. After the fence wires are fitted into appropriate openings of the shuidard short pins 8 are driven into the openings, as shown in Fig. 3. These pins cause the fence wires to be pressed tightly into the inner end portions of the openings and are provided with flattened innor faces, as shown in Fig. 1, so that they will not be liable to slip out of proper engagement with thefence wires.

in order to prevent the pins from accidentally slipping out of the openings, there has been provided a cap 9 which extends longitudinally of the standard and fol-the inajor portion ofits length is arcuate incross section, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it straddles the rib lwith its side portions extending in overlying relation to opposite ends of the pins. Therefore, the pins will be prevented from slipping out of the openings and releasing the fence wires. Even if some of the pins should he accidentally omitted. when applying the wires to the post, they would be prevented from slipping out of the openings as the side portions of the cap overlie opposite side portions of the rib and would effectively prevent the wires from slipping out of the openings. The lower end of the cap is cut to form :1. depending tongue or lip 10 which fits into a notch or seat ll forlnedtransversely in the foot 5 and serves to prevent the cap from slipping out of engagement with the foot when in place and also constitutes a fulcrum upon which the cap may be easily rocked into and out of the operative position shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the caphas its side portions removed in order to provide a head 12, the inner face of which is flat and adapted for flat contacting engagement with the inner or forward face of the head 2-3. The heads of the cap and standard are formed with. openings 13 which register when the cap is in place and through which a short bolt l-l is passed. By an inspection of 1, it 'ill be readily seen that, when the nut 15 of the bolt is tightened, the cap 9 will be securely but releasably held in place with the tongue 10 seated in the groove 11 and the upper ends of its curved side portions disposed beneath the head 3 at opposite sides of the rib t. By this arrangement the cap will be braced against vertical movement when applied to the post and its lower end prevented from slipping out of supporting engagement with the foot 5.

The post when driven into the ground should be braced against movement out of a vertical position. In order to do so there has been provided an anchor bar or strip 16 which extends transversely across the for ward face of the tapered lower end portion 2 close to the projected end portion of the foot 5. A bolt or other suitable fastener 17 is passed through the anchor bar and post to securely hold the anchor bar in engagement with the post with its end portions projecting from opposite sides thereof. Notches 18 are formed adjacent the ends of the anchor strip and are adapted to receive the hooked upper end portions 19 of the anchoring pins 20. These pins are formed of metal and'have their lower ends tapered so that they can be easily driven into the ground, as shown in Fig. 2, with their hooked upper ends seated in the notches 18 and firmly retaining the anchor strip or bar in contact with the ground. By means of this device the post will be firmly braced and prevented from moving transversely out of a vertical position. If the anchor bar or strip is applied to a corner post, it is bent intermediate its ends, as shown in Fig. 3, and applied to diverging side faces of the tapered lower When it is desired to disconnect fence wires from one or more posts in order to lower them or change the spacing of the wire.s, this can be easily accomplished by removing the bolt 14 and after lifting the cap out of place upon the standard remove the pins c and slip the wires out of the openings 7. lhe wires can then be temporarily forced downwardly or shifted to other openings in the rib and the pins and cap then replaced.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A fence post comprising a standard, a foot projecting from said standard in spaced relation to its lower end. the upper surface of said foot being provided with a transverselv extending seat, said standard hav ing side recesses extending longitudinally thereof from said foot and tern'iinating in spaced relation to the upper end of the standard and defining a rib extending from the foot to a head at the upper end of the standard, said rib having transversely extending wire receiving openings formed therein, a capremovably applied to said standard and extending longitudinally thereof with its lower end resting upon said foot and engaged in said seat, said cap being U- shaped in cross section throughoutthe great er portion of its length and straddling the web of the standard with its side portions engaging beneath the head of the standard to brace the cap against upward movemen the upper end of the cap having the side portions omitted and bearing against the head of the standard, and a removable fastener to releasably secure the upper end of the cap to the head of the standard.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BENJAMIN A. CAESS. s] 

